This archive report was first published on 2 September 2021.
September 2, 2021, Nairobi — Salabani Primary School, a mixed day school in Baringo County, has been given a new lease of life after ChildFund Kenya stepped in to rehabilitate it following devastating floods earlier this year.
Working with its local partner Central Rift Community Development Program (CRCDP), ChildFund has committed Sh31 million to support the reconstruction of the school, which will include the construction of eight primary classrooms, two Early Childhood Development (ECD) classrooms, an administration block, and four pit latrines.
Ground-breaking for the reconstruction was led by Cabinet Secretary for Education, Prof. George Magoha, who commended the partnership between ChildFund and the community, saying the new classes will provide a conducive learning environment for the 163 pupils in pre-school and 273 in primary.
ChildFund Africa Regional Director Chege Ngugi noted that natural disasters like floods disrupt learning, increase absenteeism, and slow down syllabus coverage, ultimately leading to poor academic performance.
Salabani Primary School, which was started in 1964 under a tree, has a long history of community-led initiatives. In 1970, the community constructed four classrooms, and in 1997, ChildFund intervened and constructed eight permanent classrooms, an administration block, three toilets, and installed a water tank.
Earlier this year, floods from Baringo and Bogoria destroyed 21 school facilities and infrastructures for many schools, with Salabani Primary being the hardest hit. The ECD Centre was still submerged, forcing it to relocate to a new site with semi-permanent iron sheet structures.
Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Services, Simon Chelugui, who was touched by the school's plight, appealed to ChildFund for support. Under the project, the primary section will be equipped with 400 desks, while the pre-primary school will get 170 chairs and 45 tables.
